Door latch mechanism



June 19, 1962 B. A. QUINN 3,039,804

DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. .BERT A. OUINN %www .AT 'TOP-?NE YS June 19, 1,962 B. QUINN 3,039,804

DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4- F 5 6 /5 O E 7 1 7 59, 34 30 7 V 34,

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3597' A OU/NN A TOPNEYS United States Patent 3,039,804 Patented June 19, 1962 tree 3 039,804 DOBR LATCH MECHANSM Bert A. Quin, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Ideal Brass Works, Inc., St. Paul, Mimi., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Aug. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 1.3!),726 2 Claims. (CI. 292-254) My invention relates generally to door latches, and more particularly to improvements in door latch operating mechanisms for latches that are used with cooperating extensble and retractahle strike elements.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a door latch mechanism including a rigid latch hook for mounting on a door, a movable strike element for mounting on a door frame for movements into and out of the path of travel of the latch hook during opening and closing movements of the door, and novel means for moving the strike element out of latching engagement with the latch hook.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a latch Operating mechanism which requires a minimum space within a door for Operating the latch from either side of the door.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a latch structure which requires the use of only a drill and screw driver for mounting the same to a door and door frame.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a door latch structure which possesses a minimum number of moving parts.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a door latch mechanism having an Operating handle at one side thereof which moves in a door opening direction to release the door for opening movement.

Another object of my invention is the provision of door latch mechanism which is simple and inexpensive to produce, which is highly eicient in operation, and which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

The above, and still further highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referrng to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a conventional door and door frame, showing my latch mechanism mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, some parts removed;

FIG. 5 is a View corresponding to FIG. 4, but showing a ditferent position of some of the parts;

FIG. 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section, taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 2, some parts being broken away;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of the latch hook and locking mechanism of my invention, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section; and

FIG. 10 is a View in perspective of the latch release member of my invention.

Referring with greater detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a vertically disposed side rail which denes the free edge portion of a door 2, the side rail 1 engaging a side jamb 3 of a door frame 4 when the door is in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 3. While my door latch mechanism is suited for operation with doors and door frames made of wood as well as metal, the door 2 and door frame 4 are shown as being made from metal, such as extruded aluminum, the Construction thereof being hollow.

A latch hook 5 comprses a pair of spaced parallel plate-like hook elements 6 that are integrally formed with a base-member in the form of an escutcheon plate 7 which is mounted on the inner surface 8 of the side rail 1, the escutcheon plate 7 being formed with a pair of vertically spaced mounting bosses 9 that extend into openings 10 through the inner surface 8 of the side rail 1, see FIG. 2. A second mounting base 11 is mounted on the outer surface 12 of the side rail 1, the mounting base 11 being provided with mounting bosses 13 that eXtend through openings 14 in the outer surface 12, the openings 14 being aligned with respective ones of the openings 10. The mounting bosses 13 are screw threaded to receive mounting screws or the like 15 that anchor the escutcheon 7 and base member 11 to the opposite sides of the side rail l, see FIG. 2.

The hook elements 6 of the latch hook 5 have co-planar cam surfaces 16 and co-planar latching surfaces 17 that are adapted to engage a cooperating strike element 18 that is carried by a bracket 19 that is rigidly secured to the door frame 4 by means of mounting screws or the like 213. The strike element 18 is in the nature of an elongated rod that is extensible and retractable into and out of the path of travel of the latch hook elements 6 during opening and closing movements of the door 2. The strike element 18 is yeldingly urged toward the path of travel of the hook elements 6 by a pair of coil compression springs or the like 21, one of which is shown in FIG. 3. The strike element 18, together with its bracket 19 and springs 21, is fully shown and described in my prior United States Letters Patent 2,973,986, issued March 7, 1961. During closing movements of the door, the coplanar cam surfaces 16 engage the strike element 18 and impart retractng movements thereto against yielding bias of the springs 21; and, when the door is completely closed, the strike element 18 is disposed in latching engagement with the co-planar latching surfaces 17 of the hook elements 6, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7.

For the purpose of imparting retracting movement to the strike element 18 to permit opening of the door 2, I provide a latch release member 22 that is disposed between the hook elements 6 and pivotally mounted therein by means of a pivot pin or the like 23, the release member 22 having integrally formed therewith an Operating handle 24 that extends in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side of the door 2. The hook elements 6 of the latch hook 5 are joined by a transverse portion 25 which defines a pair of surfaces 26 and 27 which co operate with respective surface portions 28 and 29 on the latch release member 22 to limit swinging movements of the latch release member 22 in opposite directions about the axis of the pivot pin 23. As shown by dotted lines in FIG. 7, movement of the Operating handle 24 in the direction of the door 2 will cause the latch release member 22 to engage the strike element 18 and impart retracting movement thereto against bias of the springs 21, to release the strike element 18 from engagement With -the latching surfaces 17 of the hook elements 6, this movement being limited by abutting engagement of the surface portion 29 of the latch release member 22 with the cooperating surface portion 27 of the transverse portion 25. It will be noted 'chat movement of the Operating handle 24 in a strike releasing direction is common to the direction of door opening movement. Hence, when opening the door from the inside of the building, it is only necessary to aosaeoa push the Operating handle 24 toward the door to release the latch and to impart opening movements to the door. When olosing the door from the inside, the Operating handle 24 is pulled in a direction away from the door, the surface portion 28 of the release member 22 abuttng its oooperating surface 26 of the latch hook whereby to retract the strike engagng portion of the release member 22 to permit the strike 18 to move into latohing engagement with the latching surfaces 17 of the latch hook 5.

Means for releasably looking the latch release member 22 against movement in a direction toward the strike element 1 8 comprises a generally cylindn'cal looking member 39 that is journalled inthe base or escutoheon portion 7 of the latch hook for limited rotary movement on an axisthat extends transversely of the side rail 1 or parallel to the axes of the mounting screws 15. The looking member 30 is formed to provide a radial portion 31 that extends outwardly through a notoh 32 in the base or esoutoheon portion 7, and a handle portion 33 that extends outwardly in a direction generally parallel to the hook elements 6, see particularly FIG. 7, by means of which handle 33 the looking member 30` may be rotated between looking and release positions. A leaf spring detent element 34 is anchored in the base or escutcheon portion 7,- and is adapted to selectively engage a pair of radially extending notches or grooves '35' and 36 in the looking member 30 to releasably hold the looking member 36 in its locked or release positions. The member 35) is formed at its outer end to provide a stop lug 37 that is adapted to be moved into and out of the path of movement of a finger 38 integrally formed with the latch release member 22, responsive to movement of the looking handle 33 between its looking and release positions. As shown in FEG. 4, the stop lug 37 is moved ciroumferentially out of the path of movement of the finger 33, whereas in FlG. S, the stop lug37 is moved circumferentially into the path of travel of the finger 33, to limit movement thereof in a direction from the left to the right with respect to FIGS. 4;-and 5, or in a latch releasing direction.

-For the purpose of unlatohing the door 2 from the eX- terior thereof, I provide a latch releasing devioe comprising a push button 39 and a cooperating push rod 4%, the button 39' and push rod 40 being disposed on the axis of the generally cylindrical looking member 39'. The push button 39 is mounted for axial movements in an outwardly extending tubular portion 41 of the base member 1 1 and held against rotary movement therein by a diametrioally opposed pair of lugs 42 integrally formed with the push button 39 and received in axial ly extending channels 43 formed in the base member 11, see FIGS. 2 and 8. The push rod 40, which is preferably made from rigid metallc material, extends axially through a pair of aligned openings 44 in the opposite sur faoes S and 12 of the side rail 1 and has its outer end portion -aXially slidably received in a central opening in the oylindrioal looking member 30. The opposite end portion of the push rod 46- is formed to provide a flange 45 that abuts the adjacent end of a hol low axial boss 46 integrally formed with the push button '39, see FIGS. 2 and 3. A tapered coil compression spring 47 is interposed between the flange 45 and the adjacent wall surface 12-of the side rail 1 and yieldingly urges the push rod 40 and button 39 toward one limit of -axial movement thereof, or outwardly with respect to the door 2. Preferably, and as shown, the outer end of the push rod 40' is formed to provide a head portion 48 that is received within the tubular boss 46, whereby the push rod 40 is supported by the push button 39. The inner end of the push rod 40, slidably received in the looking member 30, is adapted to engage a cam surface portion 49 of the latch release member 22, responsive to axially inward movement of the push button 39 and against bias of the compression spring 47, to move the latch release member 22 in a direction to disengage the strike element 18 from the latching surfaoes 17 of the latch hook 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the base 11 at the outer end of the tubular portion 41 thereof, is formed'to provide a mounting lug 5@ for anchoring one end of a rgid handle member 51, :the opposite end of which is rigdly Secured to the outer surface 12 of the side rail -1 by suitable means, such as an anohoring screw or the like 52. As shown in FEG. 2, the mounting lug 50 is provided with a flange 53 that is received within a groove 54 in the adjacent end of the handle member 51 to rigidly secure the adjacent end of the handle member 51.

It will be appreciated that, if desired, the spring 47 can be omitted from the above described Construction, pressure of the strike element 18 against the latch release member 22, when the door is closed, normally being sufiicent to cause the push button 39 to be moved outwardly, due to camming engagement of the cam surface 49 of the latch release member 22 with the adjacent end of the push rod 49.

it desired, suitable key-equipped looking means, not shown, may be provided in the push button 39 for imparting rotation to the push rod %Ct and resultant rotation to the cylindrioal looking member Sii, so that the latch release member 22 may be unlooked or looked from the exterior of the door.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the aocomplishment of the objeotives set forth; and while I have shown and desoribed a commercial embodiment of my improved door latch mechanism, it will be understood that the same is capabie of modification without departure from the spirit and soope, as defined in the olaims.

What I claim is:

l. in a door latch mechanism, a rigid latch hook having a base portion adapted to be mounted fast on a door for common movements therewith, a cooperating strike element adapted to be mounted on a door f-arne in the path of travel of said latch hook, said strike element being yieldingly urged into said path of travel of said latch hOO' and retractable transversely out of said path, said latch hook comprising a pair of laterally spaced hook elements having ooplanar strike engaging cam portions and coplanar strike engaging hook portions, said strike being engaged by said cam portions and retracted thereby during olosing movements of the door and urged into engagement with said hook portions when the dooris fully closed, a release member disposed between said hook elements and pivotally connected thereto for swinging movements toward and away from engagement with said strike when said strike is disposed in engagement with said hook portions, an operating handle integrally formed with said release member *and extending in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the door and movable toward the door to impart retracting movement to said strike, whereby to permit the door to open, a movable release member Operating device, and means for mounting said device on the opposite side of said door, said release member Operating device including a push rod adapted to extend through a transverse opening in the door and engageable with said release member to impart strike releasing movement thereto.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with look means for releasably looking said release member against movement in a direction to engage said strike, said lock means comprising a looking member journalled in said latch hook base por-tion for limited rotary movement and having a handle portion projecting outwardly of said base portion, said looking member being formed with a lug and a pair of oiroumferentially spaced recesses, said lug being movable into and out of the path of travel of said release member responsive to .rotation of said looking member in opposite directions, and a detent element received in a different one of said recesses at opposite limits of a rotary movement of said looking member and yieldingly holding said looking member against said rotary movement.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jacobus Feb. 14, 1893 Parle May 18, 1909 Crewson et al Dec. 13, 1910 Johnston June 28, 1927 Wild Ju1y 26, 1927 Johnson Dec. 16, 1930 Wild Dec. 30, 1930 6 Gray Feb. 22, 1938 Simpson Mar. 11, 1941 Mantz Apr. 15, 1941 Thompson Apr. 27, 1943 Ostrom July 31, 1945 Can-011 Sept. 18, 1951 Lynxwiler Oct. 13, 1953 Wartian Dec. 11, 1956 Friedman et al. Apr. 30, 1957 

